Blackjack Table Rules: Same Game, Different Bill
Two blackjack tables can look identical and cost four times as much to sit at. The difference is printed on the felt and buried in the info screen. Here's each rule, priced.
The Big One: Blackjack Payout
3:2 is correct, €15 on a €10 blackjack. A 6:5 table pays €12 and adds about +1.4% to the house edge. That single rule turns the best game in the casino into one of the worst. No other rule on this page comes close. 6:5 means walk. Online, the payout is in the game rules - check before the first hand.
The Rest of the Menu, Priced
- Dealer hits soft 17 (H17): +0.22% against you. "Stands on all 17s" (S17) is the table you want.
- Decks: single deck is worth about 0.5% versus eight decks, which is why true single-deck games almost always pay 6:5 to claw it back. Read both rules together.
- Double after split (DAS): −0.14% for you. Standard at good tables.
- Late surrender: −0.08%, and it saves your worst hands (16 vs 10). Rarely offered; valuable when it is.
- Double on 9–11 only / 10–11 only: +0.09% to +0.18% against you versus "any two cards".
- No-peek (ENHC): dealer doesn't check for blackjack; you can lose doubles and splits to it. +0.11%. Common in European live games, adjust by not doubling/splitting against an Ace.
- Resplitting aces allowed: −0.08%. Nice when you find it.
What a Good Table Looks Like
3:2, S17, DAS, double any two, 4–8 decks, ideally surrender. That stack plays around 0.4–0.5% house edge with basic strategy. A 6:5, H17, restricted-double table is a ~2% game wearing the same outfit. Over a 300-hand session at €10, that's the difference between an expected €13 and €60 in cost.
Where to Find the Good Rules
Live dealer lobbies list rules per table, Evolution's standard tables run 3:2 and S17 in most studios. Our casino reviews flag operators whose table selection respects your bankroll, and the complete blackjack guide covers strategy and discipline. Skip the side bets while you're at it. 18+.
Reading an Online Rules Screen in 30 Seconds
Every licensed online table publishes its rules, the skill is knowing the reading order. One: blackjack payout (3:2 or go home). Two: dealer soft 17 line. Three: doubling rules ("any two cards" plus DAS is the good stack). Four: surrender, if you're lucky. Live lobbies print this under the (i) icon per table; RNG games keep it in the paytable screen. Thirty seconds of reading repriced your whole session. The operator is required to tell you - they're just not required to make it large print.
Rules & House Edge FAQ
Is single-deck blackjack always better?
Only with 3:2 payouts and decent doubling rules, a combination that barely exists, because operators know the single-deck label attracts players. A 6:5 single-deck game is worse than a 3:2 eight-deck game by over a full percent. Read both lines together, always.
What's the best rule set realistically available online?
3:2, S17, DAS, double any two, late surrender on an Evolution or Playtech live table, around 0.4–0.5% with basic strategy. Several casinos in our reviews carry exactly this.
Do these percentages really matter at my stakes?
At €5 a hand, 200 hands a week: a 0.5% table costs ~€260 a year in expectation, a 2% table ~€1,040. Same game, same fun, €780 difference. The percentages are small; the multiplication isn't.